DOMINO - why 37mm?

[charlie b]

I've been trying to understand the DOMINO's
believing that there is an underlying reason
for each of them.  Festool didn't arbitrarily
pick them I'm certain.  I've looked into the
"32mm System" and it's various versions
and it doesn't seem to go with any of them.

Anyone have a theory or explanation of the
37mm from the mortise side of the retract-
able stop pin to the mortise's centerline.
Why 40mm, 36mm etc. for the stepped
"center on the stock thickness" gauge?
Why 5mm and 6mm cutters instead of
starting at 6 and going up by 2mm to
12mm?

I'm missing something.

charlie b

 

[Rocker]

Charlie,

I have no idea why the index pins were placed at 37 mm from the mortise center. The distance is too large, IMO, and the pins would have been much more useful if they had been at about 27 mm from the mortise center instead.

The 5 mm cutter diameter is useful for edge joining, particularly for thinner stock, such as 1/2" or 5/8", where a 6 mm domino would be too thick, especially when you consider that the minimum fence height is 7 mm, so a centered domino is not possible in stock less than 14 mm thick. Even for thicker stock, such as 19mm, a 6 mm thick domino would be overkill for edge joining.  Probably it would have been necessary to make the machine a lot heavier to accommodate a cutter size of 12 mm. Anyway, I believe that there are very few instances where the 10 mm domino size is inadequate. Two 10 mm dominoes make a very strong joint.

Rocker

 

[stvrowe]

Charlie,
The 37mm setback is the standard setback from the front edge for the 32mm system hinge mounting plates.  That said, I have no idea what this has to do with the mortise center on the Domino.
Steve

 

[charlie b]

We, in the U.S., have nominal 1/4", 1/2" and 3/4"
ply.  I used "nominally" because the ACTUAL
thickness can be 1/32 inch - or more - less
than "nominal".  And for boards, 3/4" thick\
is more or less standard for S4S (surfaced
four sides). 

Anyone know what the "standard sizes" for
ply and boards are for the Euro Market?

I know that Baltic Birch (an Finnish Birch)
ply comes in close to 5'x5' sheets rather
than 4'x8' like we in the US are accustomed
t0.  I'm now pretty sure the 5x5 sheets
are actually 1.5 x 1.5 meters

I suspect that "blade kerf" also plays an
important role in the"32mm System". 
Anyone know what the euro equivalent of
"thin kerf" and "normal kerf" are?

There must be some reason Festool chose
the "presets" on the DOMINO.  Germans
manufacturers are not noted for doing
anything arbitrarily or just for the hell of
it.

There must be some underlying principles
the DOMINO is conforming to. 

Anybody got any wild hare explanations?

charlie b

 

[ROb McGilp]

Hi Bill,

This is probably totally irrelavent, but..
The Domino is described in its flyers as mainly an on site panel joiner and also stair joiner. I have thought that the settings for the pins may have something to do with regulations within Germany or Europe in general regarding placement of joints in the constuction of stairs.

Regards,

Albert